Everything You Have
by Takada Saiko
Summary: Pre-Thor. For Loki's birth celebration day, all he wants is a quiet day in the library, but when given the choice between a quest with Thor that is sure to land them both in the healing chambers or a formal party with the elite of Asgard whispering behind his turned back, the second prince may join his brother on the adventure willingly this century. R
1. Part One

A/N:Well, I was good over my holiday and wrote only (mostly) on my original works. being that as it is, I started this one this afternoon to thank everyone for their patience with my vacation. It was wonderful. I think I walked my knee into a painful place, but it's not a true vacation unless I injure my knee by walking lol.

**Please note** that the following is part of the ongoing series that I've worked on. I have a list of the order that they should be read in on my profile if you're new to the series :)

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**Part One**

_And I never wanted anything from you_

_Except everything you had and what was left after that too_

_Dog Days Are Over_, Florence + the Machines

If he had thought that the anniversary of his birth meant that he might choose the kind of celebration that was to take place, he was greatly mistaken. Every century that it came around - he'd heard some mortal cultures celebrated every _year_ and it made him slightly ill to think about it - he told himself that he would not let his elder brother and friends bully him into anything like the last century. The event was always more over the top and dangerous than the one before. It often had to do with Thor boasting of his own growth and the skills he'd developed in the time since his last celebration some half a century before Loki's and the realization that seemed to dawn on him every time that his younger brother was not as strong or as skilled in combat as _he_ was.

Loki tried to remind himself that Thor had a good heart, but often just did not have the patience to think the ideas through. It became more difficult to keep the mantra running through his mind as the blond puffed out his chest and spoke of all of his achievements and the pride their father had in him. The younger prince lost the will to try when his brother began comparing them and, in essence, detailed out all of Loki's failures. That's when the laughter started, often beginning early in Fandral who had the least restraint and followed almost immediately by Volstagg. As Thor continued, egged on by his friends, Loki could feel his face heat almost to an uncomfortable level when his brother regaled them with some failed attempt in the training arena that they had probably been there for anyway and even Sif added her snort of laughter.

It happened every century and always led to some wild adventure Thor was sure would strengthen his little brother's reputation. It never did. There had been the tournament for his 3rd century celebration where he'd been so small he couldn't swing the sword he'd been given. He'd been beaten into the ground by several bullies that had been waiting for an opportunity to take a swing at him. For his 4th Thor had taken him on what he had called a quest. Though he'd never known before that a _quest_ was, apparently, another way to say that Loki would carry most of their supplies - no magic allowed, this was meant to build strength - and the younger prince of Asgard landed at the bottom of a rocky hill, lanky limbs tangled in the supplies, and Fandral apologising for his poorly placed foot that the prince could not have seen. His apology had been through bursts of hardly contained laughter. They'd quested for a lost stone and found what might have been a bear, but at least five times the size of anything the younger prince had ever seen before. Loki had spent the majority of of his 5th celebration being yelled at by the Allfather for unleashing his fury on his brother before he could be dragged off to Midgard as had been planned for that particular celebration. Somehow Thor had been entirely oblivious to the fact that his brother had been trying to stop him from dragging him _anywhere_.

So here he was again, unable to do anything but hide. He felt like the coward that they claimed he was as he cast a simple cloaking spell to make himself less noticeable in the corner of the library. It was not his usual corner, as they would look for him there, but he had curled up with his back pressed to one of the many shelves with a tome perched on his knees. He was perfectly happy where he was with no quests and no yelling and no broken limbs. He'd be fully intact if his plan went well.

As Thor plopped down next to him he knew his plans rarely went well.

"You know your cloaking spells don't work on me. I can always find you." Thor's voice was a soft rumble and surprisingly not accusatory.

Loki risked a glance out of the corner of his eye and his brother looked fully defeated. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were downcast. It was a strange expression for him. "Aren't you here to drag me off on some adventure? You should be thrilled, though you look as if you just received notice of your own funeral."

"Mother says I'm not allowed to take you on an adventure for your celebration day," the god of thunder said sulkily.

Loki perked. "She said so, did she?"

"Yes, but we didn't do anything for you last century either."

It was much easier to see that he rarely meant harm when the younger prince was still well and whole. "Well, I promise not to be too put out about it," Loki managed, trying to keep as much of the sarcasm out of his voice as he could and finding that it was more difficult than he could imagine. Thankfully sarcasm was often lost on Thor. "You gave it your best."

Thor sighed and leaned heavily against him, nearly knocking him over. "I thought we could go in search of the giant snake that is said to live in the caves to northeast of the city."

The trickster had to gather himself before he even thought of risking his voice, trying to come up with something that could have made his elder brother think that _that_ would be a fun adventure. He had come to think that Thor purposefully forgot each and every birth celebration that Loki had and the pain that the younger prince went through with it. It was the only real explanation that made any sense. Granted, they'd been on many adventures and they had both found themselves at the receiving end of more injuries than their mother thought she might cope with, but Loki was sure that he'd prefer at least one day every hundred years that he might take for himself in the library and just be quiet. It really didn't seem like much to ask.

"I suppose there's no getting around it though. Mother was very persistent. She said everyone was coming."

"Coming?" Loki echoed. "Coming where?"

"To your party."

"But I don't want a party any more than I want to be torn to shreds by some snake in a cave."

Thor blinked at him for several moments before letting the comment slide and he shrugged.

There was no hiding from one of their mother's parties if he was inside the palace walls. The trickster's mind worked quickly, playing through all the possibilities. He could feel the steady blue gaze on him and he felt almost guilty that he was trying to squirm out of both "gifts." In the end, he half thought that he'd prefer the snake to the whispers and the glances that he could feel every time his back was turned. He rarely caught them at it, as Asgardian aristocracy was talented at gossip of nothing else, but he had never been able to find out what the whispers were about.

"I'll make you a deal," Loki said at last.

Blond brows knit in question. "What do you mean?"

"I will go with you on two conditions. One: no snakes."

"I suppose the snake was simply asking for trouble, wasn't it?"

"We'll find it sure enough."

Thor opened his mouth to argue, but Loki's look made him tilt his head and give a rather sheepish look at the unsaid words. "What is the second condition, brother?"

The younger prince pulled a deep breath and laid his book down. Untangling his long limbs he stood, using the temporary height he gained while Thor still sat to his advantage. "It will be just the two of us."

"But our friends-"

"_Your_ friends," Loki corrected sharply. "I won't have the Imbeciles Three or your Lady Sif mocking at me another celebration day."

"They don't mock"

"They certainly do and you become unbearable when you choose to join."

Thor stood, urgency in his movements as he grasped either of Loki's thin shoulders. "I never meant it as such, brother, you must know! I mean only to-"

Loki shrugged his hands away. "You only meant to explain what a disappointment I am to Father. Yes, Thor, I know, but you needn't. I'm well aware of the fact."

The sharp words had their desired effect and the thunderer's large hands dropped back down to his sides, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in barely contained alarm. "I-"

"Don't. Do you agree to the terms or not?"

"Yes, brother, I do. It is your day, after all."

"Took you six hundred years to remember that?"

Thor's eyes widened a bit more, but then he seemed to realize that his brother was playing him now as Loki's think lips quirked at the edge and the blond gave a heavy sigh of relief. "Where shall we go?"

"It's my choice then?"

"Entirely so. No tests, no fights, and no matches. It is entirely up to you what we do this day."

Green eyes lit at this and for the first celebration day since he turned three hundred he thought they might have some fun. "I've been reading about this fascinating spring," he said, his voice quick with excitement and one thin hand waving as he spoke. "It's supposed to be out in the fields to the west. The waters are supposed to sparkle like those of the waters beneath the Bridge."

Thor did not look so amused. "You want to see a puddle?"

"It's a spring, Thor," Loki groused as he bent to pick up the book he'd been reading from, flipping to the page with a description. "It's supposed to have magical properties. It seems it would work well for a potion I've been working on."

"You do realize that we only celebrate the day of birth every century, yes? And you want to go to something as boring as... You want to go to _this_?"

"This is what I want," Loki affirmed, ignoring the elder prince's harsh remarks at his interest.

Thor grinned, gathering his younger brother up in his arms and ruffling his dark hair. "Then you shall have it."

* * *

TBC

A/N: I could not for the life of me find anything on Norse celebration of birthdays. I thought I could use it as a basis, but as it stands, I just went at it. Ah well. I didn't think calling it 'birthday' in a culture so removed from our own made a lot of sense. I've seen someone (can't remember who) use 'name day' like in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, but I didn't want to thieve that either. Lol. I'm so indecisive, but at least this seems to have worked out well enough.


	2. Part Two

A/N: I really didn't expect to get this written today. It was super crazy at work and it's pub night with Gabrielle Day tonight. Celebrating 20 years of friendship. Awesome times! :)

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**Part Two.**

Slipping out of the palace was easier than it should have been for two princes. Loki's magic made it simple and the brothers crept through a door that was meant to have been locked deep in the bowels of the palace. It led them to an exit at the base of the wall, opening into the forest just beyond to the west.

They didn't speak as they moved and Loki couldn't help but think about the fact that they really didn't need to. For all of Thor's off-handed comments in regards to his little brother's weakness, they worked well together, offsetting each other's shortcomings and boosting strengths. They fit well, though better when it was just the two of them. If he had thought that he would regret his decision as soon as they made it beyond the walls, he found himself happily surprised. There was a sense of freedom that rarely came with one of the blond prince's celebration outings and he found, as of that moment, nothing to complain about.

They'd reached the edge of the treeline when Thor glanced back and laughed outright.

"What?" the younger prince demanded.

"The look on your face. I didn't realize that this meant so much to you, brother. A bit of water makes you very happy?"

Loki felt his face flush. "It's not…" He stopped, realizing that the truth of the matter was more embarrassing to say out loud than allowing the elder prince to continue to think that it was just their goal. They were not children anymore and he knew that he couldn't be seen holding to Thor in such a manner. After all, he spent so much time trying to convince the thunderer that he didn't want anything to do with his wild adventures that to be so keen on being out on one with him now - even after all of his complaints no less than an hour or two before - simply because Thor's friends had been washed from the picture, leaving just the brothers to go… Well it didn't seem like something that the mighty Thor would understand. Loki wasn't sure _he_ thought it made too much sense.

Thor grinned even broader, reaching around to sling his arm around the younger god's thin shoulders. "It's good to be just the two of us," he said heartily, all but pulling Loki along. "It's been some time."

"You're always off with the others," Loki murmured, trying not to sound too put out by it.

"We invite you along."

"I don't want to go with them."

This stopped the blond and he turned to look at his brother, head cocked to the side in question. "No wonder they talk about you as they do, if you act like that to them."

"If _I_ act in some way?" the dark haired trickster demanded, even as the large arm encircled him again and they continued through the woods. "It isn't _I_ that laughs when one of them loses to a physically stronger opponent because their skill is not allowed and _I_ certainly don't pick at their every shortcoming to use as a knife to dig a bit deeper."

Thor rolled his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Loki. They don't do that, and when you think that they do they are most likely trying to encourage you to do better."

"Some encouragement."

"You've just got to try a bit harder, that's all. Take your swing-"

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Well you've got to-"

"_Thor_!" he snapped, coming to a complete halt and forcing the taller prince to do the same or drag him along if he were to keep his arm around him as he had. "You said this was my day. I don't want to bicker with you."

"Then stop bickering."

"Then stop being such a brute!"

"Brute?" He released his brother at this point, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Stop acting like a little girl sniffling at every word spoken," Thor huffed. If he noticed how the temperature had dropped around them or how Loki's eyes were just a bit greener as his magic pulsed around him, he didn't give it much care. "We are warriors, brother. It would do you some good to listen to our advice now and again. You may think you have all the answers with your studies and your knowledge, but it's kept you from becoming a true son of Asgard."

Loki stood still now, his spine rigidly straight and his shoulders squared. He still held his book in his hand and he gripped it tightly enough that his hands were shaking even as bits of ice crept along the leather cover. Without warning he threw it, catching his brother square in the face and sending him stumbling back. Thor looked started at the sudden outburst, and when the younger prince spoke his voice was barely above a whisper, chilled as the leather that covered the book was. "At least I'm not a bully, beating others down to pull myself up." He turned on his heel and started off ahead in the direction that they'd been going.

"Loki!" Thor yelled.

The trickster ignored him, even as he continued shouting. His green eyes were glaring straight forward and he cared little for the lightness of his step. He stormed forward, even as his brother's anger built in the form of violent clouds above the trees, lighting flashing above. Loki continued on.

"Don't you _dare_ walk away from me after that!" the blond prince screamed, any control he'd had leaving him entirely.

The lighting struck close by, charring leaves and a fallen log. Loki jumped, a small sound of surprise escaping him as he barely missed being hit by the next bolt. He turned, eyes blazing with anger. "See! You don't get your way and you'd burn me!"

"You attacked me first!"

"I threw a book! That's hardly-" The next bolt hit so close that it actually threw Loki from his feet and he rolled through the dirt. After a moment he sat up, eyes wide. The anger returned as soon as the smug look on Thor's face told him it had been intentional. "You _are_ a bully," he hissed, picking himself up. He could feel the tears building and he swallowed hard to try to push it all back. "And a brute. You're cruel and you care _nothing_ for me. Perhaps it would have been best if I'd never been born your brother so that you wouldn't have the embarrassment of it all!"

Something flickered across the elder brother's face at the last words.

"You only care for yourself."

Thor sniffed, trying to regain the upper-hand in the battle of words. "At least I don't wear my feelings out in the open for anyone to trample over!" He snorted, tilting his head up and using his height, even with the distance between them. It was in his stance. He was the first born of Odin, the unspoken heir, the perfect, golden prince. It was there and there was no need to speak the next words, but they were spoken anyway. "You _are_ my brother and a prince of Asgard, Loki. Perhaps you should remember that and there'd be no _need_ for me to be embarrassed." He turned, ready to leave his younger brother to go off and cry the rest of his celebration day away by himself. Like a child, Thor thought, but the burst of power caught him unawares and he was thrown forward, slamming hard into a tree. He sunk to the ground, dazed.

"If I'm so weak, if I hold nothing of our lineage in me then why will you _never fight me at my best_?" Loki's voice rose and Thor had the sense to remain on the forest floor. He'd seen his brother's power before, and while he wouldn't say it frightened him, exactly - of course he wouldn't say that - as a warrior he had to know his limits. Loki was well studied in magic, but there were times when even he lost control of it, and with tears streaming down his cheeks he looked as if he might be bordering on one of those moments.

"Brother," Thor called out.

"You're _afraid_," the younger prince growled. "Just _admit_ it! You're afraid that I could best you with my _tricks_."

Both brothers' eyes widened at a strange cracking sound coming from beneath them and they looked at each other.

"You must stop it," Thor managed.

Loki looked at his feet, green eyes panicked. "I… I'm not sure what I've done," he admitted.

The blond reached out a hand, easing to his feet. "Just… peace, brother. Don't-"

And then the cracking sound came again and they saw it. The ground was opening up below them and none of the angry words mattered anymore. Loki called for his brother as he tried to reach out for him and the forest floor opened wide and dropped them both into it.

* * *

TBC

A/N: So... That was not actually the plan. Apparently Thor and Loki needed to yell at each other. Who knew? :P


	3. Part Three

A/N: I feel like I should apologize for the delay in this chapter. It was super busy at work when I came back from my holiday and then this weekend began that wonderful thing we call football season. I only live a couple hours from my alma mater so I have season tickets. While the game was fantastic, the heat was atrocious. Still recovering... ugh...

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**Part Three.**

Green eyes fluttered open and the first thing that their owner noticed was that he was face-down against the _very_ uncomfortable ground. Loki groaned, shifted and found himself mostly intact. He ached, but it was nothing that wouldn't wear off in an hour or two.

Blinking rapidly he was finally able to clear his vision enough to see that they had fallen perhaps fifty feet, and there was no way to climb back up in the way they'd come. The young sorcerer sighed, kicking himself mentally for allowing his emotions to rage to the point that they had taken over. Thor could be so infuriating sometimes that… He stopped, eyes flickering to the surrounding space. It was dark, but the bit of light coming through the opening in the forest floor far above them was enough that he finally found the blond prince, half buried under leaves, dirt, and an old dead tree that must have uprooted and crumbled to the ground many years before.

Thor hadn't moved, and as Loki approached him, noting the stillness, he couldn't help but feel panic bubbling. He dropped to his knees next to the elder prince, thin fingers brushing blond hair from his closed eyes and feeling warm breath when he checked. Blood was smeared on the side of his face, mixed in with his hair. He didn't appear to be lying at an awkward angle, per say, if one could be half-buried under a thousand year old dead tree and not be at an awkward angle. "Brother?" he called softly, dusting some of the dirt from him. "Thor?"

The thunderer gave a small moan, blue eyes sliding slowly open. "Loki…?"

"Can you move?"

Thor thought about it for a moment and then gave the smallest shakes of his head. "Heavy," he managed drowsily.

Green eyes blinked in surprise. "Oh," he gasped and moved to lift the log from his brother. He tugged and pulled on it, feeling it nearly slip from his grasp twice before he finally was able to shove it to the side.

Thor grimaced and rolled to his back gingerly. He held his hand up, indicating that he needed a moment as Loki crouched worriedly next to him. Finally, when he felt as though he could, he eased himself up into a sitting position, feeling the ache spread through him. He let out a slow breath and winced. "And you say _I_ have a temper."

"I'm sorry," the trickster said as he reached a hand out as if he meant to take hold of his brother, but stopped just shy, leaving him reaching but not quite making contact. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Not really."

His brother gave him a lopsided smile and reached a hand up to catch his. "It's nothing, brother," he said and there was no hesitation in his voice. To Thor, all was forgiven so easily. Loki wished he had that gift within him.

"Can you stand? We're not going to be able to climb out, but it does seem as if we've landed in some sort of underground. It may show us a way out."

Thor grinned. "Perhaps the snake lives here."

"Do not even jest," Loki grumbled, standing and offering the elder prince a hand. Though Thor took it, he knew that he did not rely too much on the wiry trickster to pull him up.

They stood there for a moment, Thor seeming to gather his wits and take in their surroundings by looking up and all around. The thunderer frowned after a moment. "I was not aware this was here. I thought I knew most of the caverns near the city."

"It's not on any of the maps," his brother agreed, stepping forward. The ground seemed sturdy enough beneath his feet, not ready to give way with the next few steps at least. He glanced back, feeling guilt tug at him as Thor moved gingerly to follow. Now that he was on his feet and moving, Loki could see the way that the elder prince's left foot seemed to drag a bit, not quite making a full step and he dropped to take a look at it.

"It's fine," Thor grumbled, but didn't move as his dark haired brother looked closer at it.

Loki's lips twitched downed as his fingers ghosted over the torn boot and what he was sure was a swelling ankle beneath it. "May I try something that will allow you to move easier?" When Thor nodded he took a deep breath and laid his hands gently against the leather of the boot.

The blond watched, feeling a soothing cool spread and ease the pain. The leather of his boot hardened, almost as a brace, and the support allowed him to put more weight down. He knew his little brother was not inclined towards medical magic, but even these small _tricks_ as he so often called them did more than he could have ever done on his own. "Thank you, Loki," he whispered.

Loki wrinkled his nose. "It's not much, but it should hold you and the cold will keep the swelling down. We can get out and get back to the palace so that we can-"

"No."

The younger prince sighed. "Thor..."

"It feels much better, brother. We will fetch your water for your celebration day." He paused, and reminded himself there were more important things than his own pride. Not much, but his brother was on that short list. "I won't have my thoughtless words ruin your day."

Green eyes widened a fraction and the second prince stood. "Thank you, brother."

Thor smiled, gathering Loki into an embrace. "I often speak rashly with you, but know I never mean in cruely. I am sorry."

Loki wrapped his arms around the elder prince. "I'm sorry too."

The thunderer's smile turned to a grin and he ruffled dark hair. "Good. Now let's get out of here so we can find your spring and your water."

* * *

As they continued further in Loki was forced to create a small ball of light so that they could see. The air around them became thick, hot, and wet, and it didn't take long before both princes were soaked in their own sweat. Thor noticed his brother had grown quieter and more focused on each step and the light above them, and when he reached out to take hold of Loki's shoulder and the smaller Asgardian jumped, he could feel the tension from the fact that neither of them knew where they were and the realization seem weigh as heavy as the air around them. "Can you not use your magic to find a way out?" he asked quietly.

Loki shook his head. "I fear that this climate makes it difficult to breathe… and that makes it difficult to cast a spell like that."

Thor nodded, feeling the affects of the thickness as well. "Then all we have is onward." He tried for a smile, giving the younger prince a playful swat on the shoulder. "Though it should be good news. We're probably under your waters. Now we must simply find our way to the top."

The trickster shook his head, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. Always the optimist, he thought. He was still caught up in the amusement when they saw the end of the pathway. Green eyes blinked as it simply stopped, deadending into a solid slab of rock that seemed to tower up and up. Both princes followed it, worry evident.

"There's no way out," Loki whispered.

"There's always a way out," his brother assured him. "You're clever and I'm strong. Certainly we can find a means of escape."

The younger prince bit his lip at Thor's own voluntary voicing of something that would normally send him into a rage. Loki rarely _tried_ to make Thor feel the fool - well, not when he didn't fully deserve it at any rate - but it was a sore subject between them in the fact that Thor often ran with sword or Mjolnir drawn, giving little time for thought as he hit his enemy head-on. Few could question his courage in the acts, but the actions often brought ridicule from his younger brother that was more inclined to study the situation before taking decisive action. The fact that the elder prince was noting the younger's intelligence as a means of escaping meant that he was giving his best effort to apologize for his earlier words, which made the guilt as his own violent actions set deeper within the trickster's chest as he felt he had no way to return the sentiment.

"See?" Thor asked, pointing at the sloped wall to their right. "We can climb here. It looks like there is a ledge up above."

"Your ankle-"

"Won't matter if we're trapped down here forever," the thunderer answered and started for the wall.

Loki scurried after him, having to catch up to the injured prince. If it had been his ankle damaged by the fall, Thor most likely have scooped him up and tossed him over a shoulder at this point, but the difference in their size made no allowances for that. So the trickster simply followed, all the way to the top, and hoped that if Thor should fall that he'd have a spell at hand to help break it.

The blond stopped suddenly at the top, nearly run into by the smaller prince. "Look at that," he breathed out. "No wonder it's so humid down here."

Green eyes widened as they peered over the ledge and down into a nest of sleeping bilgesnipe below.

* * *

TBC


	4. Part Four

A/N: Sorry I'm so slow to update this one, guys. Life's a bit hectic. On a good note, there's a bit more action in this chapter!

* * *

**Part Four.**

"This is better than the snake."

Loki had to catch himself before he fell head-long into the nest in response to the insanity of the statement. He turned his shocked eyes on his elder brother who returned the expression with a very innocent one of his own, as if he didn't understand what all the fuss was about. The young god that they called Silvertongue sputtered for a moment before he gathered himself and spoke in very hushed tones, hands moving wildly and jabbing a finger towards the sleeping beasts below. "Have you gone mad? One bilgesnipe is a bit of fun, two is good sport, but there are at least ten down there and… Oh yes. Only two of us!"

"So?" Thor asked, genuinely confused at Loki's irritation.

"So _this_ is what I was talking about! All I wanted was a bit of the water from the spring for my spell, but if we rush down there for your game of 'get eaten by bilgenipe,' then it will end just so, as every one of my celebration days has."

Thor rolled his eyes. "We have never been eaten by a bilgesnipe, brother. That's ridiculous." He let out a surprised yelp as the younger prince swung out at him, open palm connecting with the back of his head. He frowned and gave a look that bordered on a pout. "We've been on many adventures, Loki. I don't understand your hesitation."

"Because one day out of one hundred years I'd like to know that neither of us will end up injured and in the healing rooms!"

Both brothers' eyes widened at the sound of the beasts stirring below as Loki's voice bounced off of the cavern walls. When they had settled back down into their slumber, Thor reached forward and clasped his younger brother on the back of the neck, pulling him close so that their foreheads nearly touched. "Peace," he murmured, voice low so that it would not carry as it often did, "you'll have your way on this day, as I promised, little brother."

"Really?" Loki asked tentatively, as if he didn't truly believe him.

"Really."

The trickster pulled a deep breath in and let it out through his nose before reaching up to grasp hold of his brother's thick wrist and hold onto it, their brows bumping together in an affectionate gesture. "Thank you," he whispered with a smile.

The god of thunder grinned brilliantly. "See, I am capable of selfless acts."

"And modesty."

"Obviously."

Loki chuckled and turned his attention back to the cave. There was a thin path around the pit, and it looked just large enough for them to use it to get around the opening. It was very narrow in some spots, from what he could see with his dimmed light, and he would have to snuff it completely when they were standing over the sleeping nest so as not to wake them. There was one section that grew particularly dark, and the second prince thought that it might have crumbled away entirely.

"That will be no problem. We climbed out of your bedroom window once and managed to get to the ground without harm," Thor said.

"Yes, but that was by some light without raging beasts that would feel entirely threatened if they caught just one whiff of us."

"Father was close to a raging beast when he found out we'd done it," the elder brother countered thoughtfully, grimacing at the memory. "They can't be worse."

"Says the one that put the blame on me when we were caught. How was it again, brother? 'It was _Loki's_ idea to use the window and _Loki's_ magic that shielded us from view!'"

"Father was still angry at us both."

Loki shot him an irritated look as he doused the light, starting for the path. "You're missing the point, my dear brother."

Thor reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him before he could fully put his weight on the protruding bit of rock. When Loki looked back, expecting to find an irritated rebuttal, he found a worried expression over his brother's features instead. "You really think I'd sell you out for my own gain?"

"Isn't that what you did?"

The elder prince looked embarrassed suddenly, ducking his head and Loki thought he might have even seen a bit of red flushing across the bridge of his nose. "I didn't mean it as such," he whispered desperately.

Thin lips stretched into an affectionate smile. "I know," he admitted softly and it was true. Thor never meant to do harm, but his brash and honest nature often dealt heavier blows to his quieter and more reserved younger brother. As if to solidify the understanding, Loki reached a hand out. "Let's get on with this."

"I can't see anything," Thor complained, taking the offered hand anyway.

"I've a bit better vision in the dark than you, I'd say, but it's mostly my magic's doing. Now quiet, or we'll wake them."

Thor followed behind his younger brother, following each step as carefully as he could. Leather boots made little noise as they stepped, one foot after the other along the path. He felt Loki shift more than saw it, and followed his lead by flattening his back against the rocks and inching along a narrower portion.

It was difficult for him to follow, much less to follow blindly behind someone else, but if he was forced to do it he was pleased that it was Loki that was leading. He felt the younger prince squeeze his fingers and he realized almost too late that it was a warning. His toe caught a loose rock, sending it clattering below and they both froze, eyes wide in the dark.

The rock seemed to fall forever, it's path marked by every other rock it hit on its way down and it echoed throughout the underground. Finally it was silenced and the brothers stood very still, backs pressed against the wall of the cave and barely breathing for fear of being heard.

Shifting sounds came from below and a low, irritable growl. Loki couldn't see as far as the bottom of the pit, even with magic enhancing his sight. He was lucky, he supposed, that he could see the path in front of them.

It seemed like hours before the sounds quieted below and the princes of Asgard, almost in unison, let a quiet breath out that they had not known they were holding. Loki gripped Thor's hand a little tighter, warning him that he was going to try to move forward again. They did so cautiously, worried for any further stray stones that might remind the beasts below that there might be something worth waking for above. Slowly but surely they inched around and Loki had just spotted the piece of missing path when a low growling sound reached their ears.

So much for a silent retreat.

One large bilgesnipe leapt upward at them, slamming into the wall a few yards in front of them, sharp teeth gnashing together and a howl sounding out to wake its brothers. Loki couldn't stop a small gasp that left his lips and he tossed out a spell to illuminate the whole cavern.

It had the desired effect on the cave-dwellers as they cried out against the light. Bilgesnipe took only moments to adjust to bright lights after time in the dark, but they were still moments that allowed the boys time to sprint forward. With a brief glance behind him to reassure himself that Thor was there, Loki took off as quickly as he could around the thin path, eyes fixated on the little road.

"Loki!" Thor yelled and the trickster saw why almost too late. He slammed to a stop just as one of the beasts clawed its way up the side of the wall, crimson eyes turning towards him as it bared its fangs and growled.

It couldn't hold on, far too large for the place that the princes stood, but it took part of their path with it as it fell back down towards the rest of the nest.

"Go!" Thor roared and Loki nodded and took off. He jumped the missing piece and landed safely on the other side. The thunderer followed, seeing another beast take to the wall and begin its ascent towards them. Its claw slammed into the side just behind where the blond prince landed, cracking the rock. Blue eyes met green, both wide with understanding as it crumbled underneath him.

"Thor!" Loki cried, throwing himself forward and barely catching his brother's larger hand. A quickly spoken spell was the only thing that saved them both from going down and they hung there, suspended for a few moments, with the younger prince struggling not to go over the side of the path and into the pit below. The now ragged edge of the rocks ripped at his tunic and he could feel them bight at the skin beneath as he slipped forward, the spell not as strong as it needed to be.

"Let go! I won't take you down with me!"

"Of all the _stupid_ things to say," Loki growled, tightening his grip. He could feel the pathway continue to crumble beneath him with their combined weight and he grit his teeth. "I don't think it'll hold me."

Thor knew better than to tell his younger brother to let go again, but he could see what was happening. "We're both going to fall. Can you cushion the landing?"

"I think so." A couple more pieces of the path fell away, nearly hitting Thor on the way down and Loki gave a short cry of pain as he scraped against the edge.

"You _must_ catch us, do you hear me?" the thunderer demanded. "If you can do that, I'll make sure to protect you."

The younger prince grimaced as he his brother slipped in his grasp. "I don't… Thor, I'm not sure…"

"I am," Thor answered steadily, blue eyes full of certainty. "You catch us, and I'll make sure we have an escape."

Loki did not look entirely convinced, but what was left beneath him shifted again and both brothers tumbled downward.

* * *

TBC


	5. Part Five

A/N: So I've had the worst writer's block on this. Typically I just bust through it, but I've been very distracted by an original character lately. Well, two. You can blame them.

* * *

**Part Five.**

Loki hated the sensation that always accompanied falling. There was a certain loss of control with it, a flailing and often a short, surprised cry that left unbidden from his throat. Whereas on the ground he had control of his movements and his footing was sure, midair his thoughts scrambled and it was all he could do to pull together his wits to release a spell to cushion the descent.

He lost sight of Thor as they landed, the thunderer having hit straight into one of the large, angry bilgesnipe and taking it to the rocky ground with him. Loki rolled when he hit, the breath knocked out of him and he gave a small, choked gasp against the rush of pain that the unyielding floor brought on. He blinked, darkness surrounding him and he could hear the angry growls of creatures that had had their home invaded.

Thor's cry broke through the growls and Loki sat up, green eyes wide and his forgotten ball of light burst from nothing with a whispered spell, washing the entire cavern in it. The bilgesnipe howled and Loki saw his brother with a dazed expression off to the side, two of the beasts downed near him, thought one looked to have caught him with either tooth or claw across his arm, leaving it bleeding. He blinked at the light and then looked for what he had been missing, calling the fallen Mjolnir to his hand and slamming it straight into the snout of a rampaging bilgesnipe, back in the battle.

Loki watched his brother fight, holding his end of the bargain. They seemed drawn to him and he seemed highly entertained by the fact. If he were not so talented in pummeling, his younger brother might have thought him mad with his wide smile at the idea of three coming at him at once, but Loki had seen it time and time again in different scenarios. Though he often spoke of it with sharp, unforgiving words, he couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in his brother's strength. He smiled to himself as he thought of Thor's own certainty that Loki could and would catch them with his own talents. Strange, how much they mocked each other for their strengths and weaknesses, and yet had come to rely on one another for them.

The trickster's thoughts were cut short when he realized that not all of the beasts had been as distracted by Thor as he had first thought. One thick, knotted tail swooped around, catching him square in the chest and throwing him back into the wall. He hit hard and he saw dark spots dance across his vision. He blinked against them moving just as the creature came back at him. He dodged, leaving a weak imitation of himself to take the blow, but it did not fool the bilgesnipe for long and it barreled at him again, growling lowly.

He didn't see the one that came around his back until he felt its hot breath on him. It snapped its large jaws closed, ripping at the dark haired prince's tunic as he stumbled forward, panic making him clumsy. With the constant use of his magic, he'd drained himself, leaving his spells weak and even when he tried to let loose an attack it seemed to only further aggravate the two that had set their eyes on him.

Loki thought he heard his brother call to him, but his mind was fully occupied by the fact that he'd been lifted into the air by one of the pair of antlers, tossed like a ragdoll. He hit the ground and didn't have time to scramble up before another slammed into him, rolling him and one large, clawed foot crashed into him. He heard himself make a small sound, but he was pinned and all he could do was stare up at the growling beast above him.

"Loki!" Thor called out.

Green eyes flickered in the direction of the voice and he whispered his brother's name, not quite able to get enough air through his lungs to make the word audible. Mjolnir slammed into the bilgesnipe, nearly picking the thing up off the ground with the force and the pain hit him as if he'd been the one struck.

Thor was at his side in an instant, hand surprisingly gentle as he pushed back dark hair. Loki squinted in the darkness, but found that his lighting spell had not gone out entirely. He tried to offer a smile, to tell him that he hadn't been entirely crushed and that he'd be alright once he got his breath back, but the look on his brother's face said that he wouldn't be so easily swayed. "I'm fine," he said at last.

The blond was chewing at his bottom lip, a worried expression he had when he was cornered into making a quick decision that he knew had weighty consequences.

"Thor, I'm alright," Loki tried again, reaching a hand up to his brother's face. It was heavier than it should have been, and the thunderer caught it mid way, squeezing the fingers briefly before looking about. The bilgesnipe that were left were few, but they were not happy.

"Listen closely, brother and please do not argue. I'm going to bring the ceiling down around them and I'm going to carry you out. Don't struggle against it, do you promise?"

The younger prince shot him an indignant look. "I will not be carried out like a girl!"

"You won't make it to your feet," Thor whispered, blue eyes pleading.

Loki looked ready to argue again, but instead followed his brother's worried gaze. The heaviness against his chest suddenly made sense. He hadn't even realized that one of the claws had torn into him, pulling at fabric and skin alike and leaving his tunic soaked in blood. It was everywhere, and it was a wonder that he was conscious at all. He hadn't realized he had been numb to it, but when his eyes caught sight of the damage all of that numbness wore away and the pain hit him in a rush. His hand went immediately to the wound and he felt what strength he had leave him.

Thor was already standing, Mjolnir clutched in his hand and electricity building around him. Thunder could be heard even outside of the cavern and he said a silent prayer as he brought it crashing down.

The ceiling shattered and the god of thunder scooped his trickster brother up, doing his best to ignore the pained noise. Loki went limp almost instantly and Thor took off for the hole in the wall. It was close, and he could smell the fresh air even as they sprinted towards it. Howls followed him, but he was smaller and faster, even with his light load in his arms. He held the younger prince close dodging pieces of falling rock and leapt to avoid the exit caving in. He turned midair and slid on his back, Loki cradled close to his chest and he lay there, breathing heavily in the silence that followed.

* * *

All he had wanted was a quiet day in the library, surrounded by his books and his thoughts and all that he could learn. It was one day out of one hundred years, and it was supposed to be the day that no one should ask that he bend his own will to them.

And yet Thor had and look where it had gotten them.

The thunderer felt tears threaten and he pushed them back. He was much too old to cry, though he thought that if anyone deserved his tears it was his younger brother. He had finally made his way to his feet, Loki's stillness worrying him enough that he had had to check. The dark haired prince had gone pale, but he was breathing and his pulse was steady enough that Thor wasn't in a panic yet. So he gathered him up, careful and strangely gentle with him and limped his way away from the destruction.

The air was heavy around them, thick with heat and moisture. Both boys were covered in blood and grime from everything that had happened and the elder prince gave a snort of a laugh when he saw a thin stream trickling down through the woods. "I'd say we're close by your waters, brother," he whispered, but received no reaction.

Thor trudged on until he found a place that he felt was safe enough to lower his brother down and check the injuries. Loki gave the smallest of moans as large hands started pulled at the fabric that had begun to dry with the blood. He didn't want to reopen the wound, but leaving it unattended to completely was dangerous. "Easy, Loki," the elder prince soothed as he worked the tunic away, grimacing at the nasty gash that ran deep and long. His brother's life blood was still escaping from the injury and the thunderer forced himself to stay calm and think. Loki would be able to think his way through it and they were of the same family. Surely he could too if he just tried.

"I won't let you die," he swore, leaning down and placing a quick kiss to Loki's brow before he stood and pulled his vest from his shoulders. He knelt by the bit of water - if he were to guess they were near the end of where it flowed, following up towards the center where Loki had had his heart set on reaching just hours before - and soaked the vest as much as the shallow water would allow. It washed the dirt away, leaving it clean enough for his purpose. He returned to his brother's side and knelt, cleaning the dirt and blood away as gently as he could.

Green eyes fluttered open, pained and unclear. They stared up at Thor and he offered a thin smile, still working on cleaning the injury. "Almost done," the elder brother assured the younger.

"Got me pretty good, didn't he?" Loki managed and let his eyes slip closed. "Told you… it never fails. We weren't even looking… found us anyway."

"I'm sorry, brother."

Thin lips tugged upward and Loki reached out clumsily to take hold of his brother's arm after about the second failed try. "Not your fault."

"But it is. I had you come out and I-"

Loki tensed and Thor pulled the blood-soaked vest away immediately. He'd cleaned most of the wound as best as he could, and he had to admit it looked better. He didn't think it was bleeding quite as freely now and though it seemed to pain him, his brother hadn't lost consciousness again. "Thor?"

"I'm here, brother."

"You found the stream?"

"The end of it, I'd imagine."

"Smarter… than I give you credit for," the god of mischief managed, and when his elder brother gave him a look of utter confusion, he smiled once more. "If we can find the source… If we can find the pond I might just survive this."

* * *

TBC

A/N: So I'm not what you'd call a good cook. I can, if I must, but nothing fancy, so I've been trying to branch out more. Tonight was chicken croquettes. At least that's what they were meant to be. I'm not entirely sure what they were in the end... I feel like it's a good thing that my dream job as a child was never to be a chef. I would have been very disappointed with life.


	6. Part Six

A/N: This is the part where I swear I haven't been dead. Right? Right. I haven't been dead. Sorry for the terrible writer's block with this one, everyone.

* * *

**Part Six.**

_He could hear them laughing and it echoed all around him, closing in and pressuring him so that the little god sunk down to the ground and covered his sensitive ears with the palms of his hands pressed as hard against them as he could. His eyes were squeezed shut, so tight that nothing should have been able to escape, but much to his dismay a tear or two did form a trail down his dust-covered face and it only seemed to solidify what they said. He wouldn't let the sob break free, though. He was a prince of Asgard. He was not a coward. He was not weak. He was not… everything that they said._

_One green eye popped open when he heard his own name booming over the laughter and he pressed his back up against the pillar he'd been hiding behind. Words swirled in his mind, but he didn't dare speak them to make them so. If he did, he might not cast the spell quickly enough and the elder boy might find him. No, he thought, it was best to stay hidden by clever means rather than magical._

_"Found you!" Thor's voice echoed and Loki risked a glance up, feeling his face redden. Fifty years. That was all that separated he and his elder brother, yet Thor loomed over him and was broader across the shoulders and chest. They were still very young, but it was obvious - just as those that had jeered at him pointed out - that the younger prince was small, undersized for his line, and, if he listened to some of the quieter whispers, phrases like runt were even tossed about. Like a pup born too small._

_"It's your tournament, brother," Thor continued, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the younger prince wanted nothing to do with anyone at that point._

_Loki swallowed hard, hoping that his voice would quiver as he spoke. "You were doing quite well on your own. Go back to it. They'll cheer you."_

_"They'll cheer you too."_

_The dark haired boy snorted, burying his face in his hands, not wanting to risk the look of shame that might break through his mask of ridicule. "They scoff at me. Listen to your lessons a bit closer, brother, and you might know the meanings of words."_

_The sharp words had no effect as the blond laughed, pulling Loki to his feet. "Come. We'll show them what the Sons of Odin can do in the ring. This will be the best birth celebration you've had. Let's show them, Loki."_

_That did it and the younger brother felt his resolve snap in two, the tears building and slipping down his cheeks. They had not driven him to public tears in the ring and he did his best to keep steady before his brother, but the meaning hit deep. The Sons of Odin were strong and brave, two things that he was not, and that meant he was not worthy of any of it. They were right, about all of it, and the prince felt the sob building and escape._

_Though Thor surprised him. In all of his hasty talk of glory and honor and strength, he rarely seemed to remember his smaller brother lagged behind or even why, but in that moment he did not hesitate to gather the second prince up and hold him close. He did not understand the meaning behind Loki's tears, nor would have even if the other had tried to find words to explain, but he held his tongue and the younger boy. At least, despite his failed attempts to provide a birth celebration that the younger prince would have liked, he had given him this._

"Loki?"

Green eyes blinked blurrily and the next step he took sent a jolt of pain that he may have simply not been aware of before. They had started to follow the stream some time ago, but he'd lost track of the time somewhere. He wasn't sure when he'd drifted into memories of their early childhood, though it seemed that he'd been lost in it for some time with the way Thor was now watching him, one large arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders and holding him up. The water that he'd used to clean the second prince's wounds had closed them some, showing that the magical properties lingered even towards the end of the waters. Loki had stood slowly, determined to make it on his own feet and had finally compromised to lean on his elder brother when his knees nearly gave out under him.

"Sorry," he said at last when he realized that Thor was waiting for a response. "Lost in thought."

The thunderer seemed to relax a bit more at this. "What thoughts gained so much of your attention?" he asked with a smile.

"I was thinking about my third birth celebration. The one with the tournament."

The smile immediately faded. "You hated that, didn't you?"

"I did."

Silence moved between them for a long moment before Thor spoke again, his voice strangely quiet. "You've hated every birth celebration since I started to try to make them great. I'm sorry, brother. I should have known."

A short laugh escaped Loki and he let his head lull against Thor even as they limped along. "I was actually thinking… Well about what you did give me that was kind on that celebration."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember how I cried after that one dull-wit… Oh, I don't even remember his name now, but he'd beaten me in the arena and pinned me down, holding me as everyone laughed?" His voice hitched as he spoke, though not from the pain. He realized after a brief moment he had never spoken of it until this moment.

"No, I don't remember that at all."

A fond smile perked thin lips. "No, you wouldn't. You came to fetch me back when I slipped away, but instead something you said set me off. Embarrassing, now that I look back on it, but you comforted me. You've always been terrible at it, but you try." He risked a glance at the taller god. "Thank you, Thor."

Two blue eyes blinked owlishly at him, their owner not sure how to respond. Finally he cleared his throat, still looking a bit embarrassed at what he finally decided was rare praise. "Tell me about this spring of yours, brother. It obviously has some sort of healing properties?"

"Mm. I'd read that they're quite strong, and they must be for it to remain so far from the main pond."

"Why doesn't Master Rowen keep a store of this?" Thor asked as they continued down the wooded path, careful to avoid rising roots and half buried stumps that might trip his brother up and pull the dangerous wound open again. The talking seemed to be exhausting him, but it also kept him focused, and Thor had to admit that he much prefered Loki focused. The blank look he'd gone to earlier had frightened him even if he might not admit it out loud.

"It's very small and takes many years to replenish. Healing stones work nearly as well. Is your ankle troubling you still?"

"A bit," the elder murmured, hardly feeling as if he had the right to complain about it now. The truth was that it ached more than a bit, but he was the only support his brother had as they limped along. Green eyes flickered over as if to say that he didn't believe him, but Thor's boot snagged a root, sending them both to the ground.

Thor heard Loki give a sharp cry when he hit and the elder prince scrambled up immediately. The dark haired trickster was curled into himself, his face having lost all colour and sweat beading against his brow. Fresh blood could be seen through his tattered shirt and the thunderer cursed his momentary clumsiness. "Brother?"

Loki opened his mouth as if to answer, but a ragged breath was all he managed, the sound painful to hear as it wheezed past his lips. His eyes closed against it and for a moment he could only focus on breathing.

The blond was frozen in place, hovering just over his younger brother, large hands reaching out as if to touch him but afraid to do so. "Loki?"

Green eyes snapped to meet blue and for the briefest of moments he looked as if he were trying to say something before his lids drooped and those emerald orbs lost their usual sharpness, dulling until they slid closed and the younger prince went entirely limp.

Thor watched him, as if he expected a trick. It was more of a hope that after a moment of non-reaction that Loki would perk again, frowning at the fact Thor had not fallen into his jest, but sense told the thunderer that this was not a time for pranks to be played, even by the god of mischief, and his brother's breathing was shallow when he checked it, the wound along his chest bleeding again. Without hesitation, he gathered the smaller boy up in his arms, holding him close as to keep from jolting him too badly, and started forward as quickly as he dared.

His ankle throbbed in protest with each step he took on it, but he didn't slow. Instead he pushed forward with even more haste, praying to the Norns that he'd get Loki to the pond in time and that it would do everything that they opened it would.

"Almost there," he promised to the still form, his own breath coming in gasps now. He could see the stream widening just ahead, the waters expanding out and curling into a small pond that did not go any further. "We found it, Loki. We found your present. Please hold on."

The younger prince did not stir as they approached and Thor did not pause. Instead of laying him down on the ground and bringing the water to him, he tightened his grip around the trickster and plunged in. The water rose up to his knees and then to his thighs, and he was chest deep and holding his brother so that his head was the only part of him above the water by the time he stopped.

"You'll be alright," he whispered, his voice desperate and clipped, looking for signed of change in Loki's face. "You have to be. Please, Loki. I got you here. I didn't fail you, little brother. Please." He could feel the tears building and he did nothing to stop them as they fell down his cheeks, mixing with the water of the pond.

Thor stood still in the water for what seemed like an eternity, fingers digging into Loki's tunic and his trousers where the younger prince's knees were folded over, floating slightly in the waters. Quiet pleading fell from the blond's lips with every moment that his brother did not stir, his thoughts coming back to the fact that he was to blame. He had brought Loki out this day and he had risked his life as if it were nothing. "I won't ever let anything harm you again, brother. I swear it."

"Don't make promises…. you know you can't keep."

Blue eyes snapped open, finding drowsy green ones staring back. The tears didn't stop even as the thunderer's lips parted in a grin and he leaned forward, nearly dunking them both fully into to the water as he placed a kiss to his brother's hair. "You're alive!"

"Of course I am, you idiot," Loki snapped, though his tone held much less malice than Thor was sure it would have if he'd meant for it to.

"I thought you'd died. I thought I'd killed you."

Any sharp retort died on the trickster's lips and he squirmed. "Put me down."

Thor released him gently, letting him slide until his feet touched the bottom of the pond and they stood there for a moment, both soaked through and neither caring. Finally, Loki cleared his throat. "Thor… Even if I had died it wouldn't have been your fault. You know that, don't you?"

"It would have," the elder answered without hesitation. "You're my younger brother. I'm meant to protect you."

A laugh escaped the smaller prince and he was pleased to feel only a minor twinge in response to where there had been a deep wound across his chest.

Thor did not seem quite as amused. "What's so funny?" he snapped.

"Perhaps if we weren't so often in trouble you might not need to protect me as much," Loki laughed, and started carefully towards the side of the pond. When he reached it, he laid himself out on the bank and felt surprisingly at ease for everything that had happened. One glance at his brother, though, showed Thor looking very put out by his words. "Oh don't be like that, brother," he chuckled. "There's no fun in _not_ finding trouble from time to time."

The thunderer crossed the space between them and might have brought half the water with him as he all but jumped from it, sprawling next to his sibling. "You're not angry with me for ruining yet another celebration day?"

"No," Loki laughed. "It would have been a very dull celebration day indeed had we not left the palace. I'm not sure what I would have done with that."

Thor smiled and folded his arms beneath his head, sighing loudly and contently.

"Just remember I pay things back in full, brother, and I have five decades to make sure it's good."

"Ah…"

Loki's chuckle slowly tapered out when he felt the elder prince staring at him in earnest and he turned a bit to meet his gaze. "In all sincerity, I'd give everything I have to protect you. You know that, don't you, Loki?"

"I do." There was a silence the followed and the blond shifted so that he was staring at the sky once more. It wasn't long until the younger brother heard the soft snores drift from the elder and he felt a smile touch his lips. "And I'd give the same for you," he whispered the promise.

* * *

END


End file.
